Greatest 21 Days Baseball Profiles

As the St. Louis Cardinals made their run to the 1982 World Series title, Manager Whitey Herzog looked to his reliever Doug Bair , calling him "kind of an unsung hero here," The Dayton Journal Herald wrote . Bair had went 5-3, with eight saves and a 2.55 ERA for the Cardinals that year, his seventh major league season. "I feel good about being here because of one thing - because I've contributed to the ball club," Bair told The Journal Herald . "I did a job and I did it well." Bair ultimately did his job in the majors over 15 total campaigns . He helped win two titles, including in 1984 with the Tigers. He then didn't throw his last major league pitch until age 40 and even tried to return at 41. Bair's career began in 1971, taken by the Pirates in the second round of the draft out of Bowling Green State University in Ohio. He started with the Pirates at single-A Salem and AA Waterbury. He made AAA Charleston briefly in 1972. He then finally ...

Asheville Tourists pitching coach Mark Brewer explained to The Asheville Citizen-Times in 2016 the impact injuries and call-ups have on a staff. Every team dealt with them, Brewer told The Citizen-Times that July. "If the guy who moves up is performing on a consistent basis, then, sure, (it’s tough on the staff)," Brewer told The Citizen-Times . "You have to wait to see if the guy replacing him has the same capabilities, and if he doesn't you have to work on putting him in a situation where he can succeed more often than not." Brewer spoke with the experience of well over two decades in the game as a minor league coach , time that started in college ball and in independent work. Brewer's time in baseball actually started growing up. His father Jim Brewer played and made the majors over 17 seasons, 16 of those with the Dodgers. Mark Brewer is recorded as having been drafted by the Giants , taken in the 32nd round of the 1978 draft out of Coronado High Sch...

Passed over in the 1978 draft out of the University of Florida, Nick Belmonte tried to make his mark with independent teams of the Northwest League, The Salem Statesman Journal wrote . He played well enough for brief looks with the Brewers and Expos, but then found himself back with the independent Salem Senators for 1979, The Statesman Journal wrote . "I don't want to say anything against the Senators - they've been great to me," Belmonte told The Statesman Journal . "It's just that this isn't what I planned for myself." Belmonte the player ultimately didn't work out. But his time in baseball ultimately did. He took his broadcast degree he earned at Florida to local TV sports - and eventually right back to Florida. He became the Gators' longtime baseball broadcaster , a job he's held for over three decades. Belmonte's career in baseball began in 1978, signed by independent Boise as a free agent out of Florida . He played that first...

Asheville Tourists starter Duane Brown went seven innings in this May 1991 game, giving up two hits and no runs for the win, The Asheville Citizen-Times wrote . The outing drew high praise from Asheville manager Frank Cacciatore afterward. "That was a very, very clutch pitching performance by Duane Brown," Cacciatore told The Citizen-Times , noting the staff had suffered a letdown in recent games. "So it was very important that Brown came in and did the job tonight." Brown eventually worked to do the job over a career that spanned more than a decade . He topped out at high-A, though he briefly saw Taiwan. Brown's career began in 1989, taken by the Astros in the 37th round of the draft out of South Umpqua High School in Oregon. Brown started with the Astros between short-season Auburn and the rookie Gulf Coast League. He saw 15 outings, 13 starts between them. He went 3-8, with a 2.61 ERA. Brown played 1990 between the Gulf Coast League, Auburn and single-A ...

Features on each member of the 1990 Salt Lake City Trappers, rookie co-op team, as included in that year's roster.  1990 Salt Lake City Trappers (37) Dave Alexander  impressed as walk-on, saw two pro seasons , 3/28/22 Willie Ambos saw 4 seasons, 3 memorable with Salt Lake , 1/11/25 Rob Bargas played himself into college, two pro seasons , 2/2/25 Nick Belmonte played, managed, broadcast Florida games , 2/22/25 Joe Beaulac  signed 1st contract by headlight, saw 2 seasons , 4/2/22 Gary Boone became Mesa State's ace, saw one pro season , 12/8/24 Mark Brewer amassed coaching experience over long career , 2/21/25 Ken Briggs helped end losing streak, saw 4 pro seasons , 1/29/25 Joe Burnett played 1 season, career ended on broken jaw , 2/2/25 Mike Czarnetzki helped Santa Barbara, saw one pro season , 1/15/25 Jim Doyle helped Salt Lake to cheap win, saw one season , 2/8/25 Tom Duffin played 2 seasons, became top high school coach , 1/24/25 Ed Garczyk  hit game-...

Features on each member of the 1990 Gulf Coast League Astros, rookie league affiliate of the Houston Astros, as included in that year's roster.  1990 Gulf Coast League Astros (2) Duane Brown 's career spanned decade, saw high-A, Taiwan , 2/25/25 Mark Hampton played over decade, saw high-A, independents , 1/14/16

Wallace Minnifield didn't really expect to turn pro. But, as he played summer ball in his native Georgia in 1987, the opportunity presented itself, The Kingsport Times-News wrote in 1989. "I didn't really decide to play pro ball until the summer I signed," Minnifield told The Times-News as he played at rookie Kingsport. "But, it was something I had always wanted to do. I got the chance to put my name on the dotted line. It's a lot of hard work but it's good. I love it so far." Minnifield spoke to The Times-News in his second season on the field in pro ball. He saw time in just one more. He topped out at short-season Pittsfield . Minnifield's career began in 1987, signed by the Mets as a free agent out of his native Bowdon, Ga. At Bowdon High School, Minnifield made the all-county team four seasons and earned team MVP honors his senior year as he hit .529, with 20 home runs. He first hit the field for the Mets in 1988, in the rookie Gulf Coa...